The Vital Role of Immigration in Supporting U.S. Agriculture: Joe Murphy
- Dave Price
- Apr 4
- 3 min read
Strong agricultural communities – which are primarily smaller, rural towns – rely on the need for certain foundational strengths: access to health care from pregnancy to retirement, affordable housing, a strong educational system, plentiful jobs off the farm for farm spouses, a variety of energy sources, and hi-speed/broadband technology.
Joe Murphy would add a competitive tax structure. Although, he thinks that that applies to all industries. But he also believes for agricultural communities to thrive, they also need state and federal leaders who are willing to join business and community leaders and have real, meaningful conversations about immigration.
“Our founding as an association was a direct result of the ag economy. Back in 1985, our founding members came together in the midst of the ag crisis and said, ‘What can we do to make sure that our ag economy recovers?’”
How Agriculture Strengthens the Economy
The Iowa Business Council, where Murphy serves as President, consists of 21 major businesses that collectively employ more than 150,000 Iowans. Murphy believes that the success of these companies is intertwined with the vitality of the agricultural economy.
Murphy stresses that agriculture is not just an isolated sector but a cornerstone for job creation, economic diversification, and resilience. “We always return to the question: What can we be doing to support our economy, support rural communities, and uplift the ag sector?” he remarked.
Each year, the Iowa Business Council puts out “Iowa’s Competitive Dashboard.” It’s the group’s nonpartisan review of the state’s economic climate compared to others. The components of that deep dive – while intended to compare Iowa to other states – also identify characteristics that are relevant elsewhere:
1. Economic growth
2. Education and workforce
3. Governance
4. Demographics and diversity
5. Health and wellness
Immigrants Are Key to Iowa’s Population Growth
One issue that has become apparent in recent years is the state’s reliance on immigrants. Immigrants are largely responsible for the state’s population growth and are vital to the workforce in many agricultural operations. But discussing immigration can be politically challenging.
From Murphy’s perspective, two things can be right at the same time when it comes to immigration: the United States needs strong security at its border; it also needs an efficient, welcoming immigration system.
Labor shortages, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, engineering, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) have hampered the state’s economic potential. Some of that potential is lost, Murphy, believes, by the inability to keep foreign workers who earn degrees. Those newly-educated workers could not only bring talented people into agriculture but also other industries that support it, according to Murphy.
“We have three amazing public universities in this state,” Murphy explained. “We have two research institutions in the state, with (the University of) Iowa and Iowa State University. The international migration into those research universities is astounding, and a lot of those young people are studying critical areas we need jobs filled in.”
These institutions attract students from across the globe, providing them with world-class education in fields like agriculture, engineering, and health sciences. Murphy said, “They come here to get educated and contribute to our workforce. We, as taxpayers, help fund their education. Yet, when they finish, we say, ‘Good luck back in your home country.’”
Legal Immigration Reform
Murphy wants lawmakers united, regardless of political affiliation, and committed to legal immigration reforms. “There should be a green card stapled to that diploma,” he insisted, suggesting that high-demand professionals who study in the U.S. should not be forced to leave after graduation.
Murphy’s comments reflect a broader issue of “brain drain,” where highly skilled international graduates are sent home instead of being retained in the U.S. economy. He pointed out that this policy is not only inefficient but also counterproductive for sectors like agriculture, which rely heavily on skilled labor.
“These people have come here to get ahead, and we should continue to employ them,” he said.
